tarkaksi

Tarkaksi is the translative form of the Finnish adjective tarkka, meaning careful or precise. In Finnish, the translative case expresses a change of state or becoming something, roughly equivalent to the English “to become …” The word tarkaksi thus indicates that someone or something has entered a state of being precise or careful.

The form is created by adding the suffix -ksi to the stem of the adjective. For tarkka, this yields tarkaksi. The translative is used with verbs that denote change or becoming, most commonly with tulla (to become) and muuttua (to change into). In such constructions tarkaksi signals the resulting quality after the change.

Usage and examples:

Hän halusi tulla tarkaksi. — He wanted to become precise.

Hän muuttui tarkaksi ajan myötä. — He became precise over time.

In broader usage, tarkaksi can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who has adopted a careful, exacting approach in a given area, such as work or planning.

Notes:

Tarkaksi as a translative form emphasizes the outcome rather than the process of becoming. It is distinct from the instrumental or other cases used for different grammatical functions. The nuance is common in formal or descriptive Finnish, and choices between translative forms often depend on the verb and context.

See also: Finnish grammar, translative case, adjective comparatives and derivations, tarkka (the base adjective).